To put the cart before the horse
- To put the cart before the horse
- Cart Cart (k[aum]rt), n. [AS. cr[ae]t; cf. W. cart, Ir. &
Gael. cairt, or Icel. kartr. Cf. {Car}.]
1. A common name for various kinds of vehicles, as a Scythian
dwelling on wheels, or a chariot. ``Ph[oe]bus' cart.''
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. A two-wheeled vehicle for the ordinary purposes of
husbandry, or for transporting bulky and heavy articles.
[1913 Webster]
Packing all his goods in one poor cart. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
3. A light business wagon used by bakers, grocerymen,
butchers, etc.
[1913 Webster]
4. An open two-wheeled pleasure carriage.
[1913 Webster]
{Cart horse}, a horse which draws a cart; a horse bred or
used for drawing heavy loads; -- also spelled {carthorse}.
{Cart rope}, a stout rope for fastening a load on a cart; any
strong rope.
{To put the cart before the horse}, {To get the cart before
the horse}, or {To set the cart before the horse}, to invert
the order of related facts or ideas, as by putting an
effect for a cause; to do things in an improper order.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
2000.
Look at other dictionaries:
put the cart before the horse — To reverse the natural or sensible order of things • • • Main Entry: ↑cart put the cart before the horse see under ↑cart • • • Main Entry: ↑horse * * * put the cart before the horse phrase to do one thing before another thing that you should have … Useful english dictionary
put the cart before the horse — See: CART BEFORE THE HORSE … Dictionary of American idioms
put the cart before the horse — See: CART BEFORE THE HORSE … Dictionary of American idioms
put the cart before the horse — (put) the cart before the horse to do something that should happen later before other things. Barnhart is putting the cart before the horse by building a stadium before a team has agreed to play there … New idioms dictionary
(the) cart before the horse — (put) the cart before the horse to do something that should happen later before other things. Barnhart is putting the cart before the horse by building a stadium before a team has agreed to play there … New idioms dictionary
put the cart before the horse — ► put the cart before the horse reverse the proper order or procedure. Main Entry: ↑cart … English terms dictionary
cart before the horse (to put) — {n. phr.}, {informal} Things in wrong order; something backwards or mixed up. An overused expression. Usually used with put but sometimes with get or have . * /When the salesman wanted money for goods he hadn t delivered, I told him he was… … Dictionary of American idioms
cart before the horse (to put) — {n. phr.}, {informal} Things in wrong order; something backwards or mixed up. An overused expression. Usually used with put but sometimes with get or have . * /When the salesman wanted money for goods he hadn t delivered, I told him he was… … Dictionary of American idioms
cart\ before\ the\ horse\ to\ put — n. phr. informal things in wrong order; something backwards or mixed up. An overused expression. Usually used with put but sometimes with get or have . When the salesman wanted money for goods he hadn t delivered, I told him he was putting the… … Словарь американских идиом
put the cart before the horse — A person who puts the cart before the horse is doing things in the wrong order. Building a school before knowing the age of the population is putting the cart before the horse … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
put the cart before the horse — verb To put things in the wrong order or with the wrong priorities; to put something inconsequential as more important than something more essential. The hour had struck; and with it, as always, appeared the man. So it has ever been in the… … Wiktionary
